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Macleans Toothpaste: From 1919 British Innovation to a Nigerian Household Name

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Macleans toothpaste stands as one of the early global brands that helped transform oral hygiene from a luxury to an everyday practice. First introduced in Britain in 1919 by Macleans Ltd., the brand quickly became a pioneer of modern toothpaste marketing and packaging—well before oral care became a staple of households worldwide.

Origins and Early Development in Britain

The early 20th century was a turning point in personal hygiene, as toothpaste shifted from a powdered luxury to a convenient daily necessity. Macleans Ltd. capitalized on this trend by offering toothpaste in collapsible metal tubes, a modern packaging innovation that kept the product hygienic and easy to use.

Unlike traditional tooth powders, Macleans marketed its paste as a symbol of freshness, health, and modern living, themes that resonated in post–First World War Britain when consumer culture and middle-class aspirations were expanding. While company archives confirm the brand name derived from its founders, the detailed biography of the original “Maclean” behind the firm is not well documented.

Integration into Beecham and Global Expansion

Macleans’ early success attracted the attention of Beecham, one of the United Kingdom’s major pharmaceutical and consumer goods firms. By the mid-20th century, Beecham had acquired the brand, scaling up production and enabling distribution throughout the British Commonwealth, including Africa, the Caribbean, and Asia.

Corporate mergers later carried the brand through several major pharmaceutical giants:

1989: Beecham merged with SmithKline Beckman to form SmithKline Beecham.

2000: SmithKline Beecham merged with Glaxo Wellcome to form GlaxoSmithKline (GSK).

2022: GSK demerged its consumer healthcare division into Haleon Plc, which today manages the

Macleans brand. Arrival and Popularity in Nigeria

By the early 1970s, Macleans toothpaste had become a household name in Nigeria, coinciding with the country’s post-independence economic boom and rising urban middle class. Print and outdoor advertising promoted not only oral health but also aspiration and modern success.

A striking example is an April 1973 outdoor advertisement in Kano, which boldly declared:
> “Be Successful Be Important Use Macleans Toothpaste.”

This slogan captured the era’s consumer culture, when imported brands symbolized sophistication and social mobility. Macleans’ strategy of linking dental care with upward status resonated strongly in Nigeria’s expanding cities.

Competition and Market Dynamics

Macleans maintained dominance for decades even as rivals entered the market. In the 1970s, Close-Up (Unilever) launched as a gel toothpaste with youth-oriented marketing, while Aquafresh (another GSK brand) later offered a triple-strip formula. Yet Macleans retained its reputation for reliability and quality, becoming a staple of Nigerian households and a trusted name across generations.

Enduring Legacy

More than a century after its British debut, Macleans remains a key player in Nigeria’s oral care industry and across the world. Its journey—from an innovative 1919 British toothpaste to a multinational brand under Haleon—illustrates the evolution of modern consumer goods and the power of early 20th-century marketing to create products that become daily essentials.

Sources
Nigerian newspaper archives, Daily Times and New Nigerian, April 1973 (advertising features)

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Nigeria emerges major crude supplier to Senegal refinery

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Nigeria has emerged as a key crude supplier to the 30,000-barrels-per-day Dakar Refinery in Senegal, even as the country celebrated its entry into the league of oil-producing nations last year.

Senegal began pumping oil in mid-2024 from the Sangomar field, which produces around 100,000 barrels per day of medium sour crude (31° API, 1.0 per cent sulphur), according to a report by industry analyst Kpler.

The report stated that virtually all of this production is exported to Europe, with Spain, Italy, and the Netherlands taking the bulk of cargoes.

However, despite being an oil producer, Senegal cannot feed its lone refinery with its own crude. Industry data shows that the 30 kbd Dakar Refinery is configured to run on lighter, sweeter grades, making Sangomar’s heavier, more sulphurous crude unsuitable.

Instead, the refinery has turned to Nigeria’s Erha crude (36° API, 0.2 per cent sulphur), which fits its processing capacity.

Kpler reports that in recent months, Nigeria has imported about 30 kbd of Erha into Dakar, underlining Nigeria’s role as a lifeline for Senegal’s refining system.

“Senegal’s 30 kbd Dakar refinery, configured to process lighter, sweeter crudes, is currently running on Nigeria’s Erha crude (36° API, 0.2 per cent sulphur), with imports into Dakar averaging 30 kbd in recent months,” Kpler stated.

IRefineries are built to handle certain specifications of crude. The Dakar plant was designed for light, low-sulphur oil, which makes Nigerian grades like Erha an excellent match.

It was learnt that Sangomar crude would require blending before it could be processed locally.

Still, Nigeria’s crude exports only meet part of Senegal’s fuel demand. The country remains heavily reliant on refined product imports.

Between 2024 and 2025, Senegal imported 90 to 100 kbd of fuels, with as much as 60 per cent coming from Russia, mostly gasoil, diesel, and fuel oil.

“To fully meet domestic product demand, Senegal relies heavily on refined imports, particularly from Russia. Of the 90–100 kbd of refined products imported during 2024–2025, 50–60 per cent originated from Russia, mainly gasoil, fuel oil, and diesel,” the report said.

This indicated that while Senegal, an oil-exporting country, relies on Nigeria for crude refinery feedstock, it also depends on Russia for finished fuels.

With Phase 2 of Sangomar under review, involving 33 new wells and a tentative 2027 start-up, Kpler expected the country’s crude output and export to remain steady at 100 kbd for the next few years, leaving Nigeria’s Erha crude and Russian products as the pillars of Senegal’s domestic energy balance.

Meanwhile, local refineries have repeatedly complained about the low crude supply to their facilities.

The Dangote refinery said it was increasingly relying on crude from the United States to meet daily fuel production.

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Poor Nigerians, others to get tariff relief with the Electricity Act

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The new Chairman of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, Abdullahi Ramat, has revealed that schools, hospitals and low-income Nigerians will benefit from a tariff relief package under the Electricity Act 2023.

This was as he made known his determination to implement the Power Consumer Assistance Fund as enshrined in the Electricity Act.

Ramat disclosed this in Kano when he received the Chief Medical Director of the Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, Prof. Abdurrahman Sheshe, and the hospital’s management team on a congratulatory visit to his residence.

He explained that the Commission is set to roll out the Power Consumer Assistance Fund, which is designed to cushion the impact of rising electricity tariffs on vulnerable consumers and critical institutions.

PCAF is a special support fund created by law to help poor and vulnerable Nigerians pay for electricity.

The fund will also help critical institutions like schools and hospitals by cushioning the impact of high tariffs.

The fund, which will be managed by NERC, will come from the Federal Government through the National Assembly budget, while some categories of electricity users, especially bigger or richer customers, will also contribute a small amount.

NERC will be in charge of managing, keeping records, and deciding how the money is shared.

Section 122(1) of the Act states that “There is established the Power Consumer Assistance Fund (in this Act referred to as ‘PCAF’) to be used for the purposes specified.” Subsection (4) further clarifies that “The PCAF shall be used to subsidise underprivileged power consumers as specified by the Minister in consultation with the Commission.”

The law empowers NERC to determine who contributes to the fund and how much. Section 123(1) provides that “The Commission shall determine the contribution rates to be sent by designated consumers and classes of consumers and eligible customers to the PCAF and the subsidies to be disbursed from the PCAF, in accordance with policy directions issued by the Minister.”

Under Section 124, all consumers, including large “eligible customers”, will make contributions at rates fixed by NERC. While regular consumers will pay through their distribution companies, industries and other eligible customers will remit directly to the commission.

The Act comes with teeth. Section 126 warns that “Any person who fails to pay to the Commission or a distribution licensee, within the prescribed time, any amount owed under this Part, commits an offence and is liable to a fine not exceeding three times the amount owed.”

The new NERC boss, who is still awaiting National Assembly’s approval as of the time of filing this report, posted on his X handle that the PCAF would be rolled out.

“I received Prof. Abdurrahman Sheshe, the CMD, and the entire management of Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital on a congratulatory visit in my house here in Kano. We discussed how to ensure steady and affordable power for the hospital.

“I explained NERC’s plan to roll out the PCAF (Power Consumer Assistance Fund) under the Electricity Act 2023, which will cushion tariff impacts for schools, hospitals, and low-income consumers,” he stated.

The PUNCH reports that the previous plan to roll out the PCAF did not succeed.

While urging the hospital management to embrace cost-saving measures through energy audits, phasing out inefficient equipment and metering staff quarters and shops, Ramat said the commission would continue to engage the Kano Electricity Distribution Company to resolve disputes swiftly and ensure reliable supply.

“Our duty remains clear: to protect the rights of consumers while maintaining investor confidence by fostering an efficient, transparent market structure and investor-friendly ecosystem,” Ramat said.

He noted that the initiative aligns with government efforts to balance affordability with sustainability in the nation’s electricity market.

The Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, promised in 2024 that the Federal Government would subsidise electricity in hospitals and universities by 50 per cent, but that has yet to materialise. Though Adelabu did not specify if this would be under the PCAF.

In his analysis, an expert in the sector, Adetayo Adegbemle, said he had been the lone voice promoting PCAR, stating that Ramat has chosen to do the right thing.

The convener of PowerUpNigeria, Adegbemle, maintained that as the sector teeters on the brink of liquidity crises, the Power Consumer Assistance Fund emerges as a critical solution, offering a structured alternative to subsidies while addressing the needs of diverse customer segments.

According to him, the government’s subsidies that freeze end-user tariffs below cost created a wide gap between cost-reflective tariffs and the rates charged to consumers, resulting in a massive monthly subsidy burden of approximately N262bn, as only 9.5 per cent of GenCos’ invoices were settled from the market, leading to cash flow shortages that caused gas suppliers to curtail supplies.

He added that NERC’s intervention in April 2024 brought temporary relief by unfreezing tariffs for Band A customers. However, resistance to further tariff adjustments and the government’s reluctance to revise rates for lower bands have stalled progress.

Adegbemle stressed that the PCAF offers a transformative approach to resolving NESI’s liquidity challenges.

“Unlike traditional subsidies, which blanket the entire sector, PCAF is designed to provide targeted financial support to electricity consumers while allowing the DisCos to charge cost-reflective tariffs.

“The fund will be financed through contributions from the government and eligible customers, with rates and durations determined by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission. NERC will oversee PCAF, ensuring transparent management and equitable distribution of benefits.

“Initially, all customers will receive support through PCAF, reducing the financial burden during macroeconomic volatility. As economic conditions stabilise, the fund will prioritise underprivileged customers, aligning with Section 122(4) of the Electricity Act,” he stated.

He suggested that PCAF should provide a minimum monthly subsidy of N5,000 per customer, equivalent to 25 kWh of electricity, saying low-income consumers using less than 25 kWh monthly will effectively enjoy a full subsidy, ensure affordability while promote efficient energy use.

“By enabling DisCos to charge cost-reflective tariffs, PCAF ensures they can cover operational costs and meet their financial obligations to GenCos. This eliminates the persistent cash flow issues that have plagued NESI, fostering a more resilient supply chain.

“Unlike blanket subsidies, PCAF focuses on delivering support where it is needed most. Low-income households, which typically consume minimal electricity, will benefit from full subsidies, ensuring they are not excluded from access to power,” he stated.

Adegbemle added that the scheme ought to have been implemented since the first quarter of 2025.

Other experts who spoke with The PUNCH expressed optimism over the scheme, stating, however, that accountability and identifying the poor consumers are important factors.

Earlier, Ramat, whose plan is to digitise the power sector, alluded to the fact that the challenges in the sector are enormous, as nearly 50 per cent of generated power is lost, leaving efficiency at barely half capacity.

This, he said, has discouraged investors and fuelled today’s liquidity crisis, despite 20 years of the reform and 12 years of the privatisation, while other privatised sectors like telecom thrive with liquidity and competition.

“The sector’s mixed ownership (private and government) makes digitisation fragmented; no single entity can compel another. But NERC, as the apex regulator, has the mandate to drive full digitisation across the value chain. By deploying IT, we can optimise operations, streamline processes, integrate payment and monitoring systems, stabilise the grid, enforce transparency, reduce losses such as TLF and ATC&C, and boost efficiency.

“Part of my plan includes developing an app available in both Android and iOS which will integrate the APIs of DISCOs and NISO to provide NERC with real-time visibility of payment channels and system operations,” he said in a post.

He promised to deploy a whistleblowing tool so that consumers can anonymously report electricity theft, meter bypass, and illegal connections.

“We will partner with the EFCC, borrowing a leaf from the successful naira mutilation campaign, to enforce arrests, apply name-and-shame measures, and carry out prosecutions, with penalties of up to three years’ imprisonment, as provided by section 208 of the Electricity Act 2023. This approach will not only curb electricity theft but also help reduce tariffs, since part of these losses are factored into consumer bills through MYTO.

“Honest customers should not continue paying for the crimes of electricity thieves. Ending electricity theft and vandalism is a journey we must all travel together.

“I firmly believe that with digitisation, we can tackle the sector’s challenges head-on: reducing losses, boosting efficiency, restoring investor confidence, protecting consumers, attracting competition, increasing liquidity, and ultimately lowering tariffs. This is not theory, it is achievable. And as Chairman/CEO of NERC, it is a promise,” Ramat said.

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Global markets surge on US rate hopes

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Equities jumped Thursday after data showing job losses in the US private sector fanned optimism for more interest rate cuts and overshadowed a partial shutdown of the country’s government.

Tech firms led the way higher as a deal between South Korea’s biggest chip firms and OpenAI added fuel to the AI-led rally that has helped push markets to record highs.

While debate rages over the impact of the closure of some US departments owing to a standoff between lawmakers in Washington, investors continue to focus on the outlook for more Federal Reserve rate cuts.

And hopes were given a boost Wednesday by figures from payrolls firm ADP showing companies shed 32,000 posts last month, confounding forecasts for a gain of more than 50,000.

The data was the latest in a string of below-par reports indicating the labour market in the world’s top economy continues to slow and will give more impetus for the Fed to cut rates twice more before the end of the year.

Observers said the reading had a little more significance owing to expectations that crucial non-farm payrolls statistics will not be released as usual on Friday owing to the shutdown.

“The market is going to have to focus on independent private sources to get a sense of what’s going on,” Wellington Management’s Brij Khurana said.

“If the administration does go forward with cutting headcount, there is potential for this to have an economic impact and probably more so than what we’re used to.”

Economists at Bank of America wrote before the release: “Some downside risks remain on the horizon for labour demand. Goods producing sectors have been shedding jobs since May, in part due to tariff uncertainty.

“Also, we expect to see continued layoffs in the professional and business services sector, where AI adoption is presumably relatively faster.”

They added that recent government layoffs by Donald Trump’s administration would also weigh.

After all three main indexes on Wall Street rose, with the S&P 500 and Nasdaq hitting records, Asia was happy to take up the baton.

Tokyo, Sydney, Singapore, Wellington, Bangkok, Manila and Jakarta were all up, with Hong Kong piling on more than one percent as traders returned from a midweek break. Shanghai is closed for a week-long holiday.

But Seoul and Taipei led the rally thanks to a boost in chip firms following news of the deal between OpenAI and Samsung and SK Hynix.

The Korean firms said they had signed preliminary deals with the US company to provide chips and other equipment for its Stargate project during a visit to Seoul by OpenAI chief executive Sam Altman.

SK hynix soared around 12 per cent at one point and Samsung around five per cent, helping the Kospi index to add 2.7 per cent to a record high.

Taipei’s TAIEX index jumped 1.5 per cent as chip titan and market heavyweight TSMC piled on three per cent.

Other regional tech firms also enjoyed a run-up, with Hong Kong-listed Alibaba, Tencent and JD.com all up between two and four per cent.

Tech companies have been at the forefront of a surge across markets this year as investors pile into all things linked to artificial intelligence, with hundreds of billions being pumped into the sector.

London, Paris and Frankfurt opened with healthy gains.

– Key figures at around 0715 GMT –

Tokyo – Nikkei 225: UP 0.9 per cent at 44,936.73 (close)

Hong Kong – Hang Seng Index: UP 1.9 per cent at 27,363.39

Shanghai – Composite: Closed for a holiday

London – FTSE 100: UP 0.2 per cent at 9,465.92

Euro/dollar: UP at $1.1737 from $1.1728 on Wednesday

Pound/dollar: UP at $1.3480 from $1.3476

Dollar/yen: UP at 147.22 yen from 147.14 yen

Euro/pound: UP at 87.07 pence from 87.04 pence

West Texas Intermediate: UP 0.2 per cent at $61.89 per barrel

Brent North Sea Crude: UP 0.2 per cent at $65.45 per barrel

New York – Dow: UP 0.1 per cent at 46,441.10 (close)

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